The Kingdoms of Terror: walkthrough
The Silver Bow of Duadon is the most important item that can be found in this adventure. Walkthrough criteria The gamebook can be completed in many different ways. This walkthrough is compiled according to the following criteria, in order of importance: # assume that this is the first gamebook played, except for some items; # collect and use as many items as possible; # avoid combat as much as possible, especially the strongest enemies; # see as many illustrations as possible. Getting started Suggested Magnakai disciplines # Weaponmastery with bow and main-hand weapon (e.g. sword if you have the Sommerswerd). Take Warhammer if going for the Bronin Warhammer. # Huntmastery (completes Lore Circle of Fire for +1 CS, +2 EP) # Divination or Curing The above assumes that you are starting out with a new character. A veteran character with all the basic Kai disciplines can easily divest with Curing (since they have Healing, which already provides the main benefit), and is likely to have access to CS boosters already. An alternative can then be to focus on getting the Lore-Circle of Spirit as soon as possible. Suggested equipment Choose any one weapon: * Sword * Warhammer * Quarterstaff * Dagger * Axe It is highly recommended to take the following two items: * Bow (Weapon) * Quiver (Special Items), containing six Arrows. Choose two of the following five items: * Padded Leather Waistcoat (Special Item): increases E+2; * Rope (Backpack Items): if you chose Huntmastery, this helps getting the Bronin Warhammer; * Potion of Laumspur (Backpack Items): restores E+4; * 4 Special Rations (Meals); * Tinderbox (Backpack Items): useless It is sufficient to start the game with just 10 Gold Crowns. Useful items from previous gamebooks * Shield: CS+2, also required in one instance. * Potion of Alether: use it to get a better chance to win the Silver Bow of Duadon. * Sommerswerd: it is specifically mentioned in more than one instance. 20 gold crowns, or 2 special items, allow you to buy the horse after the archery competition; you can take any 2 keys or other useless junk you have from previous adventures. Walkthrough The numbers between brackets refer to the "nodes", i.e. the sections that cannot be avoided. Quarlen, on the Lyris border (1) The easiest way to enter Quarlen is to approach the North gate and pay 3 GC. * If your Combat Skill is high, you have chosen Psi-Screen and you want to get the Ruby Ring, approach the southern gate of Quarlen, ride past the guards without bribing them, then as soon as you're in town, take the left fork; now you'll meet the Acolytes of Vashna: say you're an unbeliever and fight them; the Ruby Ring is one of the spoils. (332) In the "Barrel Bridge" tavern, all choices are good. If you join the three mercenaries, ask permission to sit without buying them a drink, then introduce yourself: Lone Wolf is famous and respected by warriors. (219) Use the bow and an arrow to chase away Roark, the evil lordling. (281) Ask Cyrilus about the Lorestone of Varetta and introduce yourself. Traveling across Lyris (5) Enter the tournament to win the Silver Bow of Duadon. The final challenge is hard: your opponent archer has a combat skill of 28. Assuming that your Combat Skill is average (15), you need all the following to get a chance to win: Weaponmastery with bow (+3), Mindblast (+2), magic Silver Helm (+2), potion of Alether (+2); with all these, the Combat Ratio will be -4, i.e. equal loss of points; you cannot use a shield or the Sommerswerd or any hand weapon. Afterwards, offer to buy the horse; stealing it leads to a chance of instant death. ''You will need 20 gold crowns or 2 special items. * (210) Instead of the archery tournament, you can visit Castle Taunor to get some 'Taunor Water' and a 'Bronin Warhammer. When the creature attacks, shoot an arrow either at its eyes or its heart; if it survives, evade combat and run up to the castle wall, then leap aside and let the Yawshath jump in the precipice. Now you can get the healing water and, if you have either Nexus or Huntmastery and a rope, you can also get the magic warhammer. * (134) If you decide to avoid both the tournament and the castle, you'll get to the Denka Gate. Of the three choices Cyrilus gives you, the best is the bread hut: help yourself with '''two meals. Cyrilus cries for help now. If you manage to kill the armored horseman (possibly with an arrow), you can search her and get a Silver brooch (that is anyway of limited use). (39) When following the abducters, do not backtrack into the village. (188) Roark summons Tagazin: this infernal denizen will be back in later books. Tagazin does not physically manifest, but a host of undead creatures do and you are forced to fight. Cyrilus dies in the battle, but he manages to say "Brass Street". (168) At the "Halfway Inn", a conjurer tells a riddle: if you bet some money, you can win that same amount (the right answer is that both kids lied). (272) The following day, stop at the village shrine and purchase some Alether berries. Varetta, capital city of Lyris (100) The shortest way through this chapter is west into Coachcourse (you can also go back East and buy a map of Varetta from the City Criers). Stop to give money to the begging woman, and when a man interferes demand an explanation from him. Talk to the man and follow him to meet his Captain. * Instead, if you wish to explore Varetta as much as possible, walk back towards the East Gate. Enter the Guild of City Criers. Ask directions for Brass Street, but don't buy the map, and leave. At the city gate, turn South. Visit Chanda the Taxidermist and let him show his shop, but refuse any drink: his wine is poisoned. Eventually, you arrive at the "Inn of the Crossed Swords". You can bet on the deadly game, and if you lose all your money, you can sell the Ruby Ring and the Silver Brooch for 10 GC and 7 GC, respectively. Two robbers will invariably attack you; do not give them your purse. When you defeat them you earn further 5 GC. Now you meet the Captain, as above. (211) If you don't have a map of Varetta, ask the tavern-keeper about Brass Street. Choose a room for the night, but avoid the dormitory. (300) When you get to Brass Street, you can go straight to the observatory, or you can first visit the library and then the temple, but don't knock at the door! (127) Meet Gwynian the Sage, the old man you met in Book 4. He gives you directions to get to the Lorestone, and he also gives you a Small Silver Key. You can also get a rope and a useless brass whistle. Southern Lyris (175) Amory or Soren? The evil Roark is the lord of Amory - he's determined to have your head if you set foot into his town -'' while the friendly Captain was going to Soren, then down the Storn river and to Eula; furthermore, the Lorestone was lost in the battle of Rhem, a city on the Storn river. That is: avoid Amory and head to Soren. On the way there, there is no use in leaving a gold offering at the statue of Vynar Jupe. Stop at the church and fight the grave-robbers, so you can get a '''mirror' (that can be useful in Book 9) plus a useless bottle of wine and 27 Gold Crowns (necessary to heal in Luyen). * You can also head towards Amory, buy a useless Cess for 3 GC, then turn West towards Soren. At the copse, you can choose to investigate the chant, but flee the Cener Druids instead of fighting them. (102) Welcome to the river town of Soren. Tickets are but a waste of money: join the Captain instead. The Storn river (341) When the Deldenian river pirates attack, use the silver bow of Duadon if you have it, otherwise try to evade combat. (19) At the apothecary of Luyen you can purchase potions of Alether, potions of Laumspur and Rendalim's elixirs; heal up as much as you can; the potion of Gallowbrush and the Graveweed concentrate are useless. You can visit the weaponshop if you want. At the end of the street you should definitely buy a map of Tekaro; the map of Sommerlund and the map of Luyen are useless. (124) When you get to Eula, it is time to leave the Captain: his battle plan to enter Tekaro is suicidal. If you know the Discipline of Curing, you can fight a thief and earn another map of Tekaro. Continue on and learn about the "Hell-Hole" from the Ogrons, then swim across the river. Underground Tekaro (249) Use the map of Tekaro to choose the right direction. You can investigate the trap door, but don't change direction at the subsequent fork. If you have either Nexus or Psi-Surge you can open the stone door without effort; otherwise you will have to force it open''.'' Unfortunately, the monster of the sewers followed you in the crypt. Arrows are ineffective against it, and it can also regenerate: your only choice is to retrieve the Lorestone and run. ''Use the silver key to unlock the tomb where the Lorestone is'', and its power guides you to destroy the Dakomyd. That will complete the first stage of the Magnakai quest. Appendices Item list * Padded Leather Waistcoat * Silver Bow of Duadon (bow shots random numbers+3) * Bronin Warhammer (CS+1) * Map of Varetta * Map of Tekaro * Small silver key Potions: * Taunor water (restores EP+6) * Potion of Laumspur (restores EP+4) * Rendalim's elixir (restores EP+6) * Potion of Alether (CS+2 temporarily) * Handful of Alether berries (CS+2 temporarily) Useless and almost useless items: * Ruby ring (hard to obtain and almost useless: sell for 10 GC) * Silver brooch (hard to obtain and almost useless: sell for 7 GC) * Brass whistle (useless) * Rope (useless) * Cess (useless) * Ticket for the river boat (expensive and almost useless) * Potion of Gallowbrush (useless) * Graveweed concentrate (useless) * Map of Luyen (useless) * Map of Sommerlund (useless) Useful items for subsequent books * Silver Bow of Duadon: bow shots random numbers +3. It is mutually exclusive with the Bronin Warhammer. * Bronin Warhammer: CS+1; not as good as the Sommerswerd, but more useful than the Jeweled Mace or the Dagger of Vashna. It is mutually exclusive with the Silver Bow of Duadon. * Mirror: useful in Book 9; in Book 7, leave it at the monastery or you will lose it. * Potion of Alether and/or Alether berries: always useful. Enemy roster Only absolutely unavoidable enemies will be shown. Illustrations list : Stub Category:Walkthrough